s Coordination Commission to Beijing, China has concluded successfully after three days of positive meetings with the Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad Beijing 2008 (BOCOG). The next Coordination Commission visit will take place in November, when the Commission plans to visit the sailing venue in Qingdao." playid="" -->

2 June 2005 15:46pm

By IOC (As Amended By ISAF)

Beijing 2008 Foundations Laid For Success

IOC News

Beijing, China

The fourth visit of the IOC's Coordination Commission to Beijing, China has concluded successfully after three days of positive meetings with the Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad - Beijing 2008 (BOCOG). The next Coordination Commission visit will take place in November, when the Commission plans to visit the sailing venue in Qingdao.

The Coordination Commission represents stakeholders from the whole Olympic Family, and its work includes observing and advising on the progress of BOCOG.

During the Coordination Commission's time in Beijing, the members of the Commission had the opportunity to visit the sites of some of the future Olympic and Paralympic venues. The Commission members also discussed several important subjects related to the Games with their BOCOG counterparts, such as budget, transport, sport, communications and marketing.

'The foundations are being laid for success here, building on solid finances, sound construction and the basis of a very effective operation,' said Coordination Commission Chairman Hein VERBRUGGEN. 'BOCOG presented its budget to us this week, and it will cover Olympic Games operations. The operational costs of the Games should not be confused with infrastructure investments that will continue to serve Beijing long after the Games have gone.'

'BOCOG's budget will be met by the IOC's contribution from the sales of broadcast rights and international sponsorship, and also by BOCOG's efforts in finding commercial partners and selling tickets,' said VERBRUGGEN. 'We congratulate BOCOG on the continued success of its marketing programme.'

'BOCOG's budget projections show expenditures unlikely to exceed those in the financial statement recently published by ATHOC for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games . With operational expenditures now levelling out from Games to Games, we are starting to see the success of the IOC's Olympic Games Study Commission measures to stop the cost and complexity of the Games from growing,' said VERBRUGGEN.

Since the Games were awarded to Beijing in 2001, the IOC Coordination Commission has visited the city annually, but as of 2005, the Commission will be visiting twice a year until the Games in 2008. As already mentioned, the next Coordination Commission visit will be to the sailing venue in Qingdao. Smaller working group meetings take place on a more regular basis, and the IOC and BOCOG are in constant contact.

The Games of the XXIX Olympiad - Beijing 2008, will take place from 8- 24 August 2008. The Games in Beijing will play host to 28 sports, with approximately 10,500 athletes expected to participate, and around 20,000 accredited media on site, ready to bring the Games to the world. The Olympic Sailing Competition in Beijing will once again include eleven events, with the Laser Radial replacing the Europe as equipment for the Single-handed Dinghy Women and the Neil Pryde RS:X replacing the Mistral in the Windsurfer Men and Windsurfer Women events.